Oblivious
by Dalish Pariah
Summary: Love triangles are difficult at the best of times. But when one person is blissfully unaware of everything and another would do almost anything to get his way, it can get a lot worse. MerrillxLyna, one-sided TamlenxLyna. Rated T 'cause I'm overly paranoid. Please review! :D
1. Given Away

So, here we go!

This first chapter is just a little bit of background, a piece of Merrill's childhood: being given to the Sabrae clan.

Not much in it, but it's just a little intro.

I don't own any of the characters or the places in Dragon Age. They all belong the wonderful guys and girls at BioWare.

Although if they'd like to give me Merrill...

* * *

A distant memory of a sad day. The earliest memory she had. Safety and happiness brought to an end by tragedy and despair.

It seemed fitting that most of her life would follow the same pattern.

'I don't understand. You can't take her away!'

'I have to. It is how things are to be done. All of the Dalish should provide for one another. She will provide others with safety and security.'

'No, please! I _beg _you, Keeper. Please don't do this!'

'Your daughter has been granted a most magnificent gift, from the Gods themselves and it is her duty to help her fellow Elvhen. It has been decided that she could do so better if she were to be given to another clan.

'But, she is just a child, Keeper. There must be another way. Mythal, _please_!

'We of the Alerion have been blessed with a number of these uniquely talented individuals, but the Sabrae clan has none but their current Keeper. Your daughter has been chosen to aid them in their distress and you should be proud.'

'I don't want a hero; I want my daughter! She is not old enough. Please, don't take her away from me.'

'I am sorry. At the end of the next Arlathvhen, your daughter will join her new clan, in Fereldan.'

'_**No!**_'

But…this is my family.

_My home._

_Please, I don't want to go._

_Why won't you listen to me? I don't want to leave!_

'Dareth shiral, Merrill. Ma'arlath, my beautiful girl.'

_Mother…_


	2. An Unwelcome Visitor

Right, here we go: this is the first proper chapter of this story. I have no real plan, so I don't know how many chapters there will be overall. Most likely... lots.

Forgive me if the layout seems a little weird; not quite got the hang of spacing the paragraphs right yet. I gave up after almost half an hour trying to fix it D:

Anyway, enjoy.

Oh, and if you feel so inclined, _please leave a review_. This is my first story on here and I wanna know what you guys think (:

* * *

'Come on, it's not far now! Just a few more minutes!'

Tamlen's voice carried clearly through the cool forest air, reaching Merrill's burning ears as she ran her hardest to keep up with the group of eager children running through the towering trees, tailing Tamlen to where the hunter-in-training claimed to have to have seen 'a real Shemlen! It was huge and terrifying, just like Hahren Paivel says!' The lean and agile hunter-novice had no trouble staying ahead of his excited audience without even breaking a sweat. Merrill, on the other hand, was behind the group, a flush of exertion evident on her lily-pale skin.

Merrill's childhood wasn't spent frolicking through the woods, playing and laughing with the others: she was First to the Keeper, the clan leader. Whilst others were being taught the way of the Hunt, the Vir'Tanadahl, Merrill was sat in a stuffy Aravel, pouring through book after book of Elven knowledge and lore. Although she was of a similar age to Tamlen, her responsibilities and education made her feel much older than her scant fifteen years.  
She didn't mind, really; she liked her books. Nothing compared to reading of the way Elgar'nan tricked the Sun and saved the People, or of how Andruil saved Ghilan'nain from pain and suffering by turning her into the first ever halla. She preferred reading of the rage of their mighty God of vengeance, or of the martial prowess of their hunter-Goddess, to experiencing it first hand. The studies of a First were much more interesting that learning to fight with your fists and skin a fresh catch.

Besides, being First _did_ have its advantages.

Why would she need to know how to shoot a bow when she could call down lightning?

'We're almost there! I swear, it was the ugliest thing I've ever seen! Apart from you of course, Nerith!'

If the Keeper hadn't insisted, Merrill would not have followed Tamlen into the forest. But Keeper Marethari said that if there really was a human, then she was to protect the children and ward off any danger.  
Merrill doubted Tamlen had really seen a human; he told so many tales that it was almost impossible to know when he was being honest. Once, just a few years ago, he came back to camp with scratches in his left arm, claiming to have been mauled by a bear. A little later on, after practising her healing on his wounds, Merrill had ventured out into the forest, to the clearing that Tamlen had been 'hunting' in: there was no bear to be found. There were only butterflies, rabbits and a particularly aggressive squirrel. Merrill hoped, for the young hunter's sake, that it was at least the latter that had bested him.  
But he often regaled the younger clan members with tales of his bravery, each as dramatic as the last.

And all the tall tales were told for one reason and one only;

To impress Lyna Mahariel.

Merrill could fully understand Tamlen's sentiment: Mahariel was beautiful. Long dark hair framed bright hazel eyes. Her tanned skin held no imperfection, and even without the traditional markings of adulthood, she had a mature and perceptive air about her. She was tall, for a elf, and lithe, with the thin yet defined build of a hunter. Her face always seemed to be caught up in an infectious grin that reflected her optimistic, laid-back approach to life.

Unlike Tamlen and the majority of the other hunters-in-training, Lyna was also interested in the history of the Elvhen. She often came to Merrill with questions on something Hahren Paivel had mentioned in one of his stories, or to hear Merrill's own opinion on a particular tale; questions the passionate future Keeper was only too happy to answer.  
It was these late-night conversations that led them to become close friends. Although initially awkward and unsure due to lack of previous experience with others her own age, Merrill quickly found herself as fond of the charming girl as everyone else seemed to be. She was also flattered that Lyna spent so much of her free time with her, of her own volition.

They frequently took trips out into the forest together, where they would sit in the trees, just talking and joking. Merrill would tell stories of the Creators and Lyna would tell stories of animals and nature. Merrill came to cherish these times spent with her only friend among the clan.  
Lyna was with the group traipsing through the forest, loping along with evident grace. Merrill knew that she could have easily been in front of them all, even Tamlen, if she wanted. But instead, she stayed at the back, her eyes sweeping the clearing, checking for danger and grinning back at Merrill from time to time.

Unfortunately, as they had been paired as hunting partners, Lyna was also close to Tamlen and he occasionally came with them on their little sojourns into the forests.  
He used to tease Merrill, hoping to somehow impress Lyna. He would call her names, bringing her to the verge of tears until one time, Lyna threatened to leave him tied to a tree unless he stopped. Taken aback by her aggressive tone, he simply nodded and remained silent for a while.

Merrill and Tamlen eventually reached an agreement, of sorts: to put up with each other for Lyna's sake.

She wasn't sure why she didn't like Tamlen, other than the fact that he disliked her; ever since she and Lyna had become friends, it seemed. Still, their tenuous truce was enough to keep his hurtful jibes at bay.

Most of the time.

'There, look! I told you!'

The chattering group ground to a halt and fell silent, looking to where Tamlen pointed. Merrill pushed her way through the crowd, with Lyna following her. The two stopped beside Tamlen, looking toward the other side of the clearing. A collective gasp rose up from their little entourage.

Not more than ten paces away was a figure, hunched over something lying on the dirt floor. Even in sunlight, the figure seemed shadowed, as if it were shrouded in night. It wore torn and bloodied leather armour, with deep gashes and scratches all over. What looked to be the handle of a knife stuck out from it's shoulder blade, accompanying a stained blade made of a strange dark metal strapped across its back. If that wasn't enough to give her pause, the stench emanating from the creature would; it was the smell of rotting, tainted flesh. The hair began to rise on Merrill's arms. It shifted a little, trying to get closer to the thing on the ground; as it moved, Merrill caught a glimpse of what it was bending over.

Dead eyes stared up unseeing at the empty sky, from a face covered in blood.

'I wonder what made all those marks in his armour. ' Tamlen mused aloud, obviously still unaware. Lyna smirked and thumped him lightly in the arm.  
'Maybe he got ravaged by some fearsome bear-squirrel.' This was met with a glare from Tamlen and a few giggles from the bravest of the children.  
'Merrill told you?!' His glare slid from one girl to the other. 'Well, maybe _I_ should tell _her_ about-'

Before he could finish his 'revelation', Merrill held up a shaking hand for silence.

'Get the children back. All of them.'  
Lyna looked at her, her brows lowering in confusion. 'Just do it. Please.' She blanched at the look of fear in Merrill's eyes and immediately set about ushering the others back.  
'Go on, you heard her. Back it up. Leia, go and get the Keeper.' She then stepped back to Merrill's side, peering at the figure. 'What is he doing?' The strange shape shifted a little, making a few muffled, wet-sounding grunts as it bent to its task. Merrill shook her head and looked at Lyna, her green eyes wide.

'Its not a human. And I… I think it's feeding.'

'W…what?'

'This… thing; if it's what I believe it to be…' Merrill turned to the children. 'Run. Now. Go back to camp and alert the hunters. Tell them it's tainted.' She chose her words carefully, not wanting to frighten them too much. After they had begun to leave, she looked back to Tamlen and Lyna. 'You two should go too. I will stay here and wait for the Keeper.'

Mahariel shook her head fervently, putting one hand on her hip and putting the other to the side of Merrill's shoulder, locking her gaze onto Merrill's.

'No way. I wouldn't dare leave you alone with…whatever that thing is. If you got hurt, I could never... ' Tamlen cleared his throat, making Lyna visibly jump. 'I…if you got hurt, I wouldn't have anyone to climb trees and talk of the stars with, would I? ' Lyna coloured a little, gave Merrill a crooked little smile and looked hurriedly back to the creature. A little confused at Lyna's words, Merrill hesitated a moment.

Her heart seemed to beat a little faster for just a split second.

Why?

'And if she's staying, I'm staying too.' Tamlen's voice made her jump. She turned to look at him; he was frowning. When wasn't he frowning? 'Besides, you need us; what can you do on your own if that thing decides to attack? '

'Tamlen…'Mahariel started.

The beast suddenly fell quiet, its head raising a little. It sniffed the air experimentally, gulping in air. It turned slightly, straightening up a bit more. It was much taller than all three of the alarmed elves, at least by a foot and a half. The back of its bald head was covered in rippled, discoloured skin. It sniffed the air again, before turning its head slightly, attempting to get a look at them over its shoulder. Merrill stared into a grey, lifeless eye, sunken back in to a skeletal socket before it turned its head back again.

'Get behind me, both of you.' She commanded quietly, raising her hands slightly. Tamlen began to protest, but Lyna grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back, silencing him with a glare.  
The beast lifted a powerful arm, gripping the hilt of its monstrous blade. A strange rasping sound echoed through the glade. It was… laughing?

'What is it?' Tamlen asked quietly, pulling his arm out of Lyna's grip. It took Merrill a moment to register the fact he'd spoken. She signalled with a hand for them to be quieter.

'It's called a darkspawn. This one is called a Hurlock. Master Ilen spoke of them not long ago. Do you remember?' Lyna nodded, Tamlen shook his head. 'Why doesn't that surprise me?'

'Hey! I-' Tamlen started, his voice loud and indignant. Lyna's eyes widened and she pressed her hand over his mouth.

The Hurlock leaned its head a little to the left, as if listening to their little scuffle. When Tamlen let out a yelp of protest, it pulled the sword from its back and turned around, scrutinizing the three teenagers stood across from it. Lyna's hand dropped to her belt knife, as did Tamlen's.  
Its face was the same sickly green colour as the rest of it. It had no nose, instead having just two dark slits, and its perpetually open mouth displayed sharp, rotten teeth. Blood, dark and fresh, dripped down its chin; it had been feasting when it was so rudely interrupted. Now it looked to have found fresh meat.  
It took a slow step forward, assessing the threat. Its tongue darted across the bottom row of fangs as it sized them up. What looked to be a depraved grin crossed its decaying features. It took another step, then another, getting more sure of itself with each one. The three teenagers retreated at an equal pace, keeping the same distance between them and the advancing beast.

Merrill's mind raced, thinking of what to do. She could just destroy the thing; call down lightning and blow the thing apart. But that had a chance of going wrong, of hitting a friend. Well, of hitting a friend or Tamlen. And calling Lyna a friend seemed somehow inaccurate too.

_Focus, Merrill. Now isn't the time._

Maybe not lightning. A holding spell might work. She could contain the beast, so Keeper Marethari could examine it; they were rarely seen above the surface of the earth, or if they were, no-one ever lived long enough to tell the tale. Yes, the Keeper would definitely like to study the beast, and that would be easier if it remained in one piece.

She would contain it, then. Petrify it.

She stopped walking backwards and took a deep, calming breath. Focusing all of her attention onto the lumbering beast in front of her, she felt the power in her veins come alive, making her body tremble. The innate magic that flowed through her entire body seemed ablaze, eager to escape its flesh confines and to be loosed.  
She retreated into her memories, recalling her lessons. Elements and their uses and weaknesses. The cardinal rules of magic. Demons and spirits. Important guidance on how to restrain her power and to apply it only when she wished.

To rule, not to be ruled.

She skimmed these thoughts, attempting to recall the process of creating stone. Keeper Marethari's voice seemed to fill her mind as she emptied it of everything else. Her mentor's firm tone steadied her resolve, as if she were there with Merrill, guiding her hand.

'_Imagine that you are made of stone. Feel it happen.'_

She felt her muscle harden and her limbs grow heavy.

'_Imagine all the power in your body flowing directly towards your weapon. Will it to happen.'_

She wasn't allowed to wield a staff without Marethari present yet. Instead, she lifted her arm, splaying her slender fingers, aiming them at the advancing Hurlock.

'_Imagine that power taking the rock from your body and casting it out. Make it happen.'_

She felt the power begin to build in her fingertips. She braced herself for its release. She imagined the beast, encased in an impenetrable shell of cold stone. Her vision dimmed, showing her only her intended target.

'What are you doing, you idiot?! Move!' A voice that seemed so far away caught her attention and she felt the power lurch dangerously. She immediately began to call it back.  
The break in her concentration had left the spell unrefined and extremely volatile. If she allowed it to escape her, it could potentially kill everything in the clearing, crushing them under a crust of rock.  
Committing the power into the act was difficult; stopping it when it was screaming to be released was near impossible. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as the battle within her raged silently.

_Elgar'nan, this is tricky. _

She felt a hand grab her shoulder and thrust her to the side. She stumbled over an uprooted tree and fell to the ground hard, driving the wind from her lungs. A wave of nausea swept over her, followed by a sharp pain down her left side. Ignoring both her burning lungs and the pain, she clenched her fists tightly  
She finally gained control of her mana, dissipating the violent energy. Her vision cleared a little and she was able to see what had happened.

Tamlen had forced his way past her, his belt knife gripped in his hand, facing the Hurlock with a defiant face. The thing clearly didn't seem fazed. It kept coming, its sword held tightly in both hands.

Tamlen had pushed her aside, thinking her unable to act, or perhaps frozen in fear. He intended to fight the creature himself; he probably thought that he was being heroic, that by killing the Hurlock, he would be saving them both. He either underestimated the creature's strength or overestimated his own.

He was about to die.

Or worse.

'Get back, you fool! It'll tear you to pieces!' She screamed, feeling as I her lungs would burst. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, ignoring the twisting pain in her side. Tamlen sneered at her and opened his mouth as if to argue, but she cut him off. 'If you listen to me just once in your life, let it be now: if you don't back off, that thing will kill all three of us!'

She could almost see a petulant pout appear on the young hunter's face. He shot her a small glare, then started to retreat again, his knife still held in his hands.  
Thinking fast, Merrill called upon her power again and focused it on the creature. Feeling too drained to attempt another paralyse spell, she instead formed a loose spirit bolt, the quickest thing she could summon, and heaved it at the beast. The agonizing battle to claw back spent mana had left her senses scrambled; the bolt merely brushed the creature's shoulder, burning some of its tainted flesh away and catching its attention. It didn't die, or even slow as she had hoped it would. Instead, it simply changed its course.

Now it was coming for her.

_Great._

Summoning the last dregs of power left in her flagging body, she formed a powerful lightning bolt. It crackled and popped around her fist, screaming with purpose. She raised it up and prepared herself once more.

_Curse you, Tamlen._

The creature was too close. She couldn't discharge it without catching herself in the blast.

She had a duty, as First to the Sabrae, to protect all of her clanmates. Even Tamlen.  
Especially Lyna.

If she didn't do this, they would surely die.

She gritted her teeth.

_May the Dread Wolf take us both before harm befalls her._

She let the bolt go, saw it connect with the creature's leather armour. She felt a searing pain, felt herself backwards then darkness surrounded her.


	3. Meeting The First

Okay, third chapter is up!

Sorry about it taking so long; sometimes I can write a lot in one go, other times I can write about a sentence. So, please, bear with me xD

Credit for proof-reading/prompting/saving me from making silly mistakes goes to the fabulous Conyour Dirice ;D 3

This chapter is mostly a flashback: the day Tamlen and Lyna first met Merrill.

Read and review, please! There are cookies in it for you! :3

* * *

Lying back in the branches of a tall oak tree, Lyna Mahariel ran a hand through the vibrant green leaves, resting her eyes. Only a few rays of golden sunlight made it through the branches, making her shady hiding spot a perfect refuge from the oppressive summer heat. She twisted a strand of her hair around her index finger and hummed softly, enjoying the melodic chorus of birds, the soft breath of the breeze through crisp leaves and the insistent sound of her friend, Tamlen, whining away at her from the ground.

'Lyn, this isn't _fair_! I found you; now it's your turn to count!' She smiled to herself, keeping her eyes closed.

'Game's not over 'til you touch me. Come up here, then I'll start counting.'

'You _know _I can't get up there!' She laughed

'Kinda the point, Tam.' She heard him groan and kick the tree. She then heard him yelp loudly and jump up and down, probably comforting his toes. 'Don't start a fight with a tree, Tam; you'll never win.' She started humming again, drowning out Tamlen's cries, revelling in the warmth and peace. Her eyelids fluttered closed, her breathing slowed and she began drifting off to the Beyond.

'Ha! Got you!' A sharp poke in her ribs brought her awake again and she fell from her branch, catching hold just in time. Hanging from the tree upside-down, she looked up to see a triumphant, yet out of breath Tamlen sat across from her, covered in mossy stains with a grin stretched across his face. She pulled herself back up and into a sitting position, frowning. Rubbing the sore spot on her rib, she aimed a kick at him, which he easily dodged. Luckily for her, he then hit his head on a low branch and her want for revenge was sated. She laughed and wriggled a little, trying to get comfortable again.

'Fine, you got me. I'm still not counting.' Tamlen pouted at her, gingerly touching the top of his head. 'It's too warm. Let's play the 'Tamlen stays quiet and leaves Lyna alone' game, okay?' She closed her eyes again, stretching out her legs and putting her feet into Tamlen's lap.

'Fine, _Hahren_. ' She twitched her foot, trying to kick him again.

'Hey! I'm not _old! _I'm just bored of playing with a _da'len_ like you!' She smiled when she heard him huff at being called a child; he was only a year younger than her, but she liked to play the 'child' card as much as she could; it was one of the only things that bothered him. 'I bet I'll get my vallaslin before you do. Then I'll officially be an adult!' She smiled inwardly at that idea: having the blood marks of adulthood meant she could become a fully-fledged hunter, be important in the clan, boss Tamlen around. She couldn't wait.

'Ha! You sure that's a good thing? You know, when you get your vallaslin, you have to start thinking about all the adulty things. Like not climbing trees or playing games. Living in your own aravel and being tall!' He stretched his hands up at the last word, making Lyna laugh. And then there's that thing Ashalle was talking about. You know… _bonding_.' Tamlen blushed slightly, looking down to his wriggling toes. At his words, Lyna visibly winced.

She wasn't looking forward to that part of being an adult. The settling down with a male, performing the bonding ritual and having children. In honest truth, she was dreading it. There was never anyone in camp she was interested in. It seemed that every other girl had already paired off with one of the boys, except her. She didn't know why, but there was no boy she wanted to pair with. She sometimes wondered if there was something wrong with her. She had asked Ashalle, her guardian, who had said that 'there's nothing wrong with you. Everyone comes of age at a different time. You'll find someone sooner or later.'  
That didn't stop people asking her questions about it though.

Some people even thought that her and Tamlen would pair! That was always _weird_.

'Oh, don't remind me! Maybe if I serve the clan well enough, they'll let me off on that one. Besides, that's _ages _away, Tam.' Lyna frowned, pulling a leaf off of the tree and stripping it down to its skeleton, letting the pieces dance down towards the ground. Tamlen shuffled a little in his seat, drumming his fingers on her leather greaves.

'It's not that bad, Lyn. Surely there's… someone you like, even just a little?' His voice was unusually quiet, making Lyna nervous. Maybe he was pulling a prank on her? If so, she had no idea what it was.

'Not really. I don't think I-'

She stopped talking, raising a finger to her lips to keep Tamlen quiet. Pulling her legs out of his lap, she tilted her head slightly, listening. Tamlen gave her a confused look and she shook her head almost imperceptibly., cupping a hand to her ear.  
She could hear footsteps. They were coming towards the two of them.  
Lyna rose into a half-crouch, her hands hanging by her side. She leaned forward slightly, scanning the ground immediately below the tree, waiting for the owner of the footsteps to appear. Tamlen slid along the branch to sit beside her, peering down through the leaves.

The footsteps were gentle and halting. Someone small, probably looking for something. As they got closer, Lyna also heard soft, tuneless humming; one person, most likely female; not really a danger to two hunters-in-training. Still, better to be safe than sorry. She leant a little lower, trying to catch a glimpse of their new visitor.  
Soon enough, a figure came into view. A small, dark-haired girl, no older than Lyna was walking along, clutching a thick leather-bound book to her chest. Her green eyes shone in the bright sun, searching the clearing for something. Her skin was pale, as if she didn't see the sun very often. She wore strange robes, like the Keeper's, but smaller and a lighter colour. Her ears and the direction from which she came told Lyna she was from their clan, but she didn't recognise her.

'Tamlen, who's that?' She asked in a whisper, her eyes following the girl intently.

'That's Keeper Marethari's apprentice. I think this is the first time I've seen her outside of the Keeper's aravel; she's strange, doesn't get out too much.' Tamlen answered. Lyna nodded, too busy watching the girl to answer.

Surely she'd remember seeing someone like her?

The girl stopped walking, looking at the base of the tree that Lyna and Tamlen were perched in. She shrugged to herself and approached it, testing the ground with a bare foot. Apparently deeming it good enough, she threw herself down at its roots, opening the thick book, her finger running across the words on the page until she found the part she was looking for. She cleared her throat and began to read aloud.

'Long ago, when time itself was young, the only things to exist were the sun and the land. The sun, curious of the land, bowed his head to her body, and Elgar'nan was born from the place that they touched.' Her voice was soft and lilting, carrying up to the top of the tree easily on the still air, where Lyna sat, staring.

'Wow.' Lyna murmured, lost in her own confusing thoughts.

* * *

'And so, angered by what his jealous father had wrought upon the beauty of the land, Elgar'nan leapt into the sky and battled the Sun, determined to exact vengeance for all that was destroyed. The battle raged for an eternity before the Sun grew weak and… what-?'

Merrill's recital of the story of 'the God of Vengeance' was cut short as the book was torn from her grasp from above. Looking up, startled, she saw a young blonde boy hanging from a tree branch by his legs, her book grasped firmly in his arms, a sly grin on his thin face.

'Tamlen, that's mean! Give it back to her!' A disembodied voice came from the cover of leaves. There was a rustle, a thump, then the boy fell from the tree, landing roughly on his head in the dirt. There was another rustle, then a girl jumped out of the tree, landing deftly on her feet. The girl leant down and tugged the book out of the dizzy boy's arms and held it aloft. 'Ha!' She said, triumphantly, sticking her tongue out at him.  
Merrill stayed silent, pressing herself back into the shade until her back hit the tree trunk. She had been part of the Sabrae clan for three years now, but still shied away from the other children. Most of her time was spent in the aravel she shared with the Keeper, or sitting under trees, studying. She liked to be on her own.

Because of that, she had no clue how to talk to people her own age.

The girl straightened up, throwing her long dark hair back over her shoulders, then turned to Merrill.  
'Sorry about that. Tamlen can be a bit…. Are you alright?' The girl asked, looking at Merrill concernedly. 'Oh, here, have this back. I'm sorry he took it.'

'Y…yes I'm fine. Thank you' Merrill came to her feet slowly, reaching out for the book the girl held out. She pulled it against her chest and looked down, not meeting the girl from the tree's inquisitive gaze. She didn't like to look people in the eyes if she could help it; she thought maybe if someone looked deep enough, they could see all of her thoughts and she didn't want that to happen.

'You're welcome.' The girl beamed widely and took a step toward Merrill. 'So, you're the Keeper's First, then? It's good to actually meet you!' Her voice was light and friendly, not at all like the Keeper's. Curiosity finally got the best of her and Merrill looked up, straight into eyes that held all the colours of autumn leaves.

'Yes, I am. My.. my name is Merrill. Aneth'ara. It's a pleasure to meet you.' Merrill bowed her head in greeting, keeping her eyes locked on the other girl's. They were so pretty….

'I'm Lyna. Lyna Mahariel.' She crossed her hands behind her back and did a little bow of her own, bending at the waist. 'And this-' She nudged a toe into the back of the boy still lying facedown on the floor, 'this is Tamlen. Say hi, Tamlen.'

'Oww…' She nudged him once more, harder this time.

'He says hi.' The girl grinned again. 'So, Merrill, how come I haven't seen you in camp much? You always hiding in the forests?' The boy, Tamlen, rose from the ground slowly as the girl spoke. He held a hand to the top of his head and glared at Lyna's back, brushing leaves from his short blond hair.

'Oh, no, not all the time. I'm usually in the Keeper's aravel, or talking to Hahren Paivel. But I do spend a lot of time out here. I like it out here. I like reading under trees. It….' Merrill stopped her stream of words by pressing her fingertips to her lips. A crimson blush crept across her cheeks. 'I'm sorry, I talk too much.'

The girl laughed and pulled Merrill's hand away from her mouth, giving it a gentle squeeze before she released it. 'Don't worry about it, Merrill; I guess you don't get to speak to people much.' The blush grew even darker, spreading to the tips of her ears and Merrill ducked her head again. Her arm swung awkwardly by her side, still tingling where Lyna had touched her. 'So, is that one of Paivel's storybooks?' Merrill nodded. 'I thought I recognised the words. You know, you should tell the story sometime; I'm sure Paivel wouldn't mind.' Merrill almost dropped the book.

'Y…you were listening to me?' Lyna smiled and nodded. 'O…oh. Um.. Thank you. I don't think I could do that though. Talk in front of everyone, I mean.' Lyna let out a soft laugh.

'All you need is a little confidence. You can have some of mine, if you want it! Mythal knows I have enough.'

'Maybe you're mistaking confidence for cockiness, Lyn.' came a voice from behind Lyna. Merrill had almost forgotten the boy was still there. Lyna turned and aimed a punch at the boy's shoulder.

'Shut it, treeboy.' After landing a particularly painful sounding hit on Tamlen, she turned back to Merrill. 'Well, if you're ever looking for someone to listen to your stories, or to sit in the forest with, just ask me. I'll be happy to, Merrill.'

'I…thank you, Mahariel.' Merrill managed. This girl was offering to spend time with her? Like… a friend?

'Call me Lyna. All my friends do.' Lyna grinned again. Merrill gave a small, tremulous smile, her green eyes lighting up. Tamlen rolled his eyes and turned away slightly.

'Come on, Lyn. Let's go shoot some arrows or something.' He started to walk away. Lyna frowned at him, then turned to follow. After walking just a few steps, she looked back over her shoulder. 'You should smile more often; you look really pretty when you do. See ya, Merrill!' With that, she began to run after her friend, turning once to wave.  
Merrill watched silently until the two were out of sight, then sat back down under her tree, still holding the book to her chest. Then she beamed to herself and opened the book again, looking for her place.

For the rest of that afternoon, she found it more difficult to concentrate than usual. Her mind kept going back to the friendly girl from the tree who said she was pretty and called her 'friend'.

* * *

Her mind swam in thick darkness, sometimes rising close to surface, close to consciousness, other times sinking deep into the depths of oblivon. Memories and dreams assaulted her endlessly. Some were bad: lonely and dark, with demons and monsters flitting in shadow, watching her hungrily. Nightmares of pain and loss, screaming and crying.

So lonely.

But some… some were good: filled with friendship and laughter, of love and light. Of her people, the Keeper and the hunters and the hearthkeepers. Of the nightly stories of Elven heroes and deities.

And of Lyna.

As if summoned by the mere thought of her name, Lyna's voice floated through the darkness, drawing her closer to surfacing once again.

'I swear, Tamlen: if she doesn't wake up soon, I will hang you from the nearest tree and leave you for the vultures!' Her voice sounded strange; harsh and angry, but tempered by a tearful sob at the end.

'Hey, it's not my fault! I thought she was being stupid. How was I to know that-'

'I don't care what you think, Tamlen. She was trying to save us, She probably would have managed it too if you hadn't decided go all 'heroic' on us!' And now she's…' Another pause and another sob.

'Mythal, Lyn! The Keeper said she'll be fine! Why are you so angry?!'

'You know why. What you said before: ''Oh, I might tell her something you said to me then!'' I know exactly what you meant! You promised not to say **anything**! You promised me! Then you almost went and ruined everything over a stupid _squirrel story_!' Her tone rose, more anger seeping into it.

'What? I wasn't going to say anything, Lyn! Why would I do that?!' His voice faltered a little.

'Don't lie to me. You were going to ruin mine and her friendship just to get your petty revenge.'

'I wasn't going to ruin anything! You know, she's about as oblivious as you can be and still breathe! Which is good for you; you aren't exactly subtle with her. ''I wouldn't _dream_ of leaving you.'' Mythal, Lyn, it's amazing, it really is.'

'I can't be _that _obvious if she still doesn't know, Tam.'

'But you **do **think that her knowing would ruin your friendship? That she probably wouldn't feel the same way? That she'd think there was something wrong with you? 'Cause that's what everyone else would think, I'm sure. I like you, Lyn, I really do, but that… it's just not _natural._'

'How _dare _you?! I thought you understood! I don't-'

'What_ever_. I'm not interested in your strange little secret anymore. It's not going to happen, Lyn. Besides, it's not _right_.' A door closed. Lyna let out an angry sob and rested her head on Merrill's arm, a tear rolling onto her hand.

Then the darkness welled up and once again, Merrill sank into oblivion.


End file.
